Veteran Taunton police officer embraces public information job

Friday

That famous line from the 1967 movie “Cool Hand Luke” symbolizes what Lt. Eric Nichols wants to avoid when it comes to interacting with news media outlets.

It’s been two months since Nichols became the public information officer for the Taunton Police Department.

His predecessor, Lt. Paul Roderick, left the post when he was promoted to the detective unit. Nichols was one of a small group of lieutenants who submitted their names to fill the position.

A public information officer, PIO for short, used to be known simply as a spokesperson. And although the title might have changed, the function is similar.

One main distinction is that a PIO has the task of representing and disseminating information on behalf of a governmental or municipal organization, such as a police or fire department.

And a dedicated POI is expected to do more than answer reporters’ questions in a timely and accurate manner: The job also entails using social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, to communicate with the public.

Nichols, 50, says he learned a lot by having attended a three-day course in late May at the Roger Williams University Justice System Training and Research Institute.

He was among a dozen or so high-ranking law enforcement officers from Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut who took part in the interactive classes and lectures. Each course day, Nichols said, lasted eight hours.

One of the exercises, he said, involved mock press conferences.

Four camera stations set up in the room made it possible for everyone to role-play and then roll the tape, so to speak, in order to review and critique their performances.

They also were taught the finer points of organizing and issuing press releases, media advisories and social media messages. There even were homework assignments, Nichols added.

Other lecturers included Amy Kempe, public information officer for the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office and onetime spokeswoman for former Gov. Donald Carcieri; and Denis Riel, a retired detective lieutenant and former spokeswoman both for the Rhode Island National Guard and that state’s Department of Children, Youth and Families.

Transparency

Nichols, whose previous duties included being day shift commander, said the old fallback approach by some police departments, including his own, of sometimes simply saying “no comment” is no longer feasible in today’s social-media-driven society.

“It doesn’t work, it just doesn’t,” Nichols said, as he sat in front of his computer in his small office.

Nichols says it’s reasonable to tell a reporter that certain questions can’t immediately be answered, particularly when there’s an ongoing investigation that otherwise might be compromised.

But when such an occasion invariably arises, it’s his responsibility to provide an explanation. To not do so, he said, would tarnish the image of transparency for which any good public information officer strives.

Nichols said in years past, before Twitter and Facebook became societal mainstays, the police department — which back then had no official media-relations officer — would often take a cavalier attitude when responding to reporters.

“In the old days, it was just The Taunton Daily Gazette and The Enterprise (in Brockton), and they weren’t expecting any kind of transparency or speed,” he said, which sometimes resulted in information that could have been released to the public never seeing the light of day.

But with the advent of social media — which allows anyone at any moment to post online comments, be they true or inaccurate — that option is no longer viable or beneficial.

During the seminar at Roger Williams, one of the invited speakers noted that it makes sense not being overly reticent in releasing information to the media.

“They’re going to find out anyway,” was his point, Nichols said.

Establishing mutual respect and trust between a law enforcement PIO and a media outlet, he said, has its rewards.

For the reporter, it’s the ability to quickly and accurately transmit information that has been released by police.

For the department, Nichols said, it’s an opportunity to “sell its brand” by sharing information that’s not necessarily crime-related, but instead makes the public aware of goodwill deeds being performed by individual officers.

“We don’t want to be adversarial with anyone,” he said. “We want better relations with the media to get our brand out there in a positive way. Our cops do remarkable things ever day.”

Nichols said he’s willing to treat all media inquiries fairly and equally, whether they come from the hometown newspaper or a Boston TV station.

“Local people want to know, the local media wants to know and the Taunton Daily Gazette is part of that partnership,” he said. “It has a very personal appeal.”

Nichols also said he won’t shy away from releasing information that is fair game as a news story but not flattering to the department.

“You have to get the accurate information out there and not let it fester. People want to know the truth,” he said.

Keeping up with the social media evolution

The Taunton Police Department for some time has had its own Facebook page and Twitter account. It also, Nichols said, has greatly improved its website, including the daily police blotter.

“But unfortunately, not as many people follow our site as they do Facebook,” he said.

The advantage of Twitter, he says, is speed, whereas Facebook allows for more content and greater detail.

But even those two popular modes of communication are becoming somewhat passé, especially among the younger set.

“We’re looking at other platforms,” including Snapchat and Instagram, which Nichols said is now a more popular choice among many young adults and students.

Nichols cited the example last month of a bomb scare at Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School, which resulted in the arrest of a student for allegedly making suspicious remarks about a package that turned out to be harmless.

Nichols said at one point that day a rumor spread on social media that there were two pipe bombs, one of which had detonated and caused a gas pipe in the building to explode.

He quickly alerted B-P officials, who along with Nichols posted information dispelling the rumor.

Chief Walsh endorses

Nichols credits Chief Edward Walsh for supporting his efforts.

“Our chief is very good at evolving with the times,” he said.

Walsh, who has been the Taunton police chief since 2011, agrees with Nichols that they are going to have to consider adding other platforms like Instagram and Snapchat to their social-media playbook.

“We can’t rely just on Facebook or Twitter,” which Walsh says nowadays are only used on a regular basis by adults within a certain age group.

PR company provides expertise

Nichols said he’s been working and consulting with Georgetown-based John Guilfoil Public Relations, and in particular Benjamin Paulin, a former reporter with The Enterprise and The Patriot Ledger in Quincy.

The public relations firm, Nichols said, has greatly improved the department’s website. Paulin, meanwhile, on a regular basis writes and sends out press releases with information approved by Walsh.

Speaking by phone, Guilfoil said he signed contracts just over two years ago, first with the Taunton Fire Department and then the police department.

“We designed both websites (and) we try to help them with social media, especially Twitter and Facebook,” Guilfoil said.

In terms of the police department, he said, the goal is to ensure that they are nimble in their ability to transmit information to the public.

Guilfoil says Paulin and Nichols speak to one another “on a regular basis” and that Paulin either edits or writes between four and eight press releases per month.

“Every department has different needs,” said Guilfoil, who says that he also provides similar services to the town of Raynham.

“We try to make sure every reporter gets what he needs,” he added.

Guilfoil says the WordPress software system used by the Taunton police and fire departments allows for updates that take no longer than 25 seconds.

“We do all the hosting and all the IT work and teach them how to use it,” he said.

New challenge

Nichols said in addition to the PIO course in Rhode Island — which he says cost around $300 — he also attended two days of instruction taught by social-media specialist Lauri Stevens at the Municipal Police Institute in South Grafton.

The 22-year Taunton PD veteran said he views his new position as public information officer as “a new challenge,” the kind that “kind of restarts your career.”

“I thought it would be beneficial to the department,” Nichols added.

Tweets by TauntonPolice

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.